Techniques for Projecting Data Sets Between High-Resolution and Low-Resolution Objects

1. A computer-implemented method for projecting a data set from a first graphics object to a second graphics object, wherein the first graphics object and the second graphics object are defined via a graphics application executing on a processor, the method comprising: dividing the second graphics object into a first sub-object and a second sub-object, wherein each sub-object is associated with a different portion of the second graphics object; associating the first graphics object with the first sub-object; expanding a projection cage to substantially encompass both the first sub-object and the first graphics object, wherein the projection cage intersects a portion of a face associated with the second sub-object; and transferring the data set from the first graphics object to the first sub-object using the projection cage, wherein a first portion of geometry that is associated with the first sub-object and intersected by the projection cage is transferred with the data set, and a second portion of geometry that is associated with a volume defined by the face associated with the second sub-object and intersected by the projection cage is not transferred with the data set.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of aligning the first graphics object with the first sub-object.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first graphics object comprises a high-resolution 3D model, and the second graphics object comprises a low-resolution 3D model.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the first graphics object comprises a low-resolution 3D model, and the second graphics object comprises a high-resolution 3D model.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of rendering a texture map, wherein the texture map includes texture information from the first sub-object and the data set transferred from the first graphics object to the first sub-object.

6. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of associating an instance of the first graphics object with the second sub-object, expanding the projection cage to substantially encompass both the second sub-object and the instance of the first graphics object, and transferring a data set from the instance of the first graphics object to the second sub-object using the projection cage.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising the step of rendering a texture map, wherein the texture map includes texture information from the first sub-object, texture information from the second sub-object, the data set transferred from the first graphics object to the first sub-object, and the data set transferred from the instance of the first graphics object to the second sub-object.

8. The method of claim 6 , further comprising the step of rendering a first texture map and a second texture map, wherein the first texture map includes texture information from the first sub-object and the data set transferred from the first graphics object, and the second texture map includes texture information from the second sub-object and the data set transferred from the instance of the first graphics object.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the first texture map has a resolution proportional to a ratio of a surface area of the first sub-object to a surface area of the second graphics object, and the second texture map has a resolution proportional to a ratio of a surface area of the second sub-object to the surface area of the second graphics object.

10. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the steps of associating a third graphics object with the second sub-object, expanding the projection cage to substantially encompass both the second sub-object and the third graphics object, and transferring a data set from the third graphics object to the second sub-object using the projection cage.

11. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of rendering a texture map, wherein the texture map includes texture information from the first sub-object, texture information from the second sub-object, the data set transferred from the first graphics object to the first sub-object, and the data set transferred from the third graphics object to the second sub-object.

12. The method of claim 10 , further comprising the step of rendering a first texture map and a second texture map, wherein the first texture map includes texture information from the first sub-object and the data set transferred from the first graphics object to the first sub-object, and the second texture map includes texture information from the second sub-object and the data set transferred from the third graphics object to the second sub-object.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the first texture map has a resolution proportional to a ratio of a surface area of the first sub-object to a surface area of the second graphics object, and the second texture map has a resolution proportional to a ratio of a surface area of the second sub-object to the surface area of the second graphics object.

14. The method of claim 1 , wherein the data set comprises a set of surface normals.

15. The method of claim 1 , further comprising the step of determining that the data set from the first graphics object should not be transferred to a second sub-object of the two or more sub-objects encompassed, at least in part, by the projection cage, wherein the second sub-object is not associated with the first graphics object.

16. A non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for causing a computing device to project a data set from a first graphics object to a second graphics object, by performing the steps of: dividing the second graphics object into a first sub-object and a second sub-object, wherein each sub-object is associated with a different portion of the second graphics object; associating the first graphics object with the first sub-object; expanding a projection cage to substantially encompass both the first sub-object and the first graphics object, wherein the projection cage intersects a portion of a face associated with the second sub-object; and transferring the data set from the first graphics object to the first sub-object using the projection cage, wherein a first portion of geometry that is associated with the first sub-object and intersected by the projection cage is transferred with the data set, and a second portion of geometry that is associated with a volume defined by the face associated with the second sub-object and intersected by the projection cage is not transferred with the data set.

17. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising the step of aligning the first graphics object with the first sub-object.

18. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the first graphics object comprises a high-resolution three dimensional (3D) model, and the second graphics object comprises a low-resolution 3D model.

19. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the first graphics object comprises a low-resolution 3D model, and the second graphics object comprises a high-resolution 3D model.

20. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising the step of rendering a texture map, wherein the texture map includes texture information from the first sub-object and the data set transferred from the first graphics object to the first sub-object.

21. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising the steps of associating an instance of the first graphics object with the second sub-object, expanding the projection cage to substantially encompass both the second sub-object and the instance of the first graphics object, and transferring a data set from the instance of the first graphics object to the second sub-object using the projection cage.

22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 , further comprising the step of rendering a texture map, wherein the texture map includes texture information from the first sub-object, texture information from the second sub-object, the data set transferred from the first graphics object to the first sub-object, and the data set transferred from the instance of the first graphics object to the second sub-object.

23. The computer-readable medium of claim 21 , further comprising the step of rendering a first texture map and a second texture map, wherein the first texture map includes texture information from the first sub-object and the data set transferred from the first graphics object, and the second texture map includes texture information from the second sub-object and the data set transferred from the instance of the first graphics object.

24. The computer-readable medium of claim 23 , wherein the first texture map has a resolution proportional to a ratio of a surface area of the first sub-object to a surface area of the second graphics object, and the second texture map has a resolution proportional to a ratio of a surface area of the second sub-object to the surface area of the second graphics object.

25. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further comprising the steps of associating a third graphics object with the second sub-object, expanding the projection cage to substantially encompass both the second sub-object and the third graphics object, and transferring a data set from the third graphics object to the second sub-object using the projection cage.

26. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 , further comprising the step of rendering a texture map, wherein the texture map includes texture information from the first sub-object, texture information from the second sub-object, the data set transferred from the first graphics object to the first sub-object, and the data set transferred from the third graphics object to the second sub-object.

27. The computer-readable medium of claim 25 , further comprising the step of rendering a first texture map and a second texture map, wherein the first texture map includes texture information from the first sub-object and the data set transferred from the first graphics object to the first sub-object, and the second texture map includes texture information from the second sub-object and the data set transferred from the third graphics object to the second sub-object.

28. The computer-readable medium of claim 27 , wherein the first texture map has a resolution proportional to a ratio of a surface area of the first sub-object to a surface area of the second graphics object, and the second texture map has a resolution proportional to a ratio of a surface area of the second sub-object to the surface area of the second graphics object.

29. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , wherein the data set comprises a set of surface normals.

30. The computer-readable medium of claim 16 , further performing the step of determining that the data set from the first graphics object should not be transferred to a second sub-object of the two or more sub-objects encompassed, at least in part, by the projection cage, wherein the second sub-object is not associated with the first graphics object.